as in detectives
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sleuths
The Adelsons’ involvement in the murder case’s tangled web has riveted those in the state capital — and thousands of internet true crime sleuths — for nearly a decade.
—
Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
At the same time, social media sleuths shared inaccurate information and a man was detained after allegedly trying to drive through a barricade near the church.
—Dave Boucher, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The video quickly spread online, with sleuths tying the pair back to a tech company whose CEO resigned in the fallout.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
The Thursday Murder Club is about amateur sleuths.
—H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell famously manufactured a phony real-life romance — all while Sweeney was still engaged — that got internet sleuths buzzing and bolstered audience interest to see what chemistry might be on screen.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2025
Social media sleuths have gathered clues that allegedly tie D4vd, legal name David Anthony Burke, to the victim.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But when internet sleuths teased out that Fulmer was having an affair with a Try Guys employee, the drama exploded from a private matter into a public spectacle, ending with Fulmer leaving the group after a public apology.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
However, once the series took over everyone’s TVs, some internet sleuths determined that their family trees do not cross.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
At the same time, social media sleuths shared inaccurate information and a man was detained after allegedly trying to drive through a barricade near the church.
—Dave Boucher, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The video quickly spread online, with sleuths tying the pair back to a tech company whose CEO resigned in the fallout.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
The Thursday Murder Club is about amateur sleuths.
—H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell famously manufactured a phony real-life romance — all while Sweeney was still engaged — that got internet sleuths buzzing and bolstered audience interest to see what chemistry might be on screen.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2025
Social media sleuths have gathered clues that allegedly tie D4vd, legal name David Anthony Burke, to the victim.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But when internet sleuths teased out that Fulmer was having an affair with a Try Guys employee, the drama exploded from a private matter into a public spectacle, ending with Fulmer leaving the group after a public apology.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
However, once the series took over everyone’s TVs, some internet sleuths determined that their family trees do not cross.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuths
Noun
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The film sees detectives discover the remains of 23 women and six men at the residence of filmmaker and serial killer Mark Chapel, who is arrested along with a collaborator, Donovan Summers, who is also later detained.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
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In their investigation, detectives learned that Garfias, Vargas’s ex-boyfriend, sent her a text message luring her to the outside of a bar, the district attorney said in the statement.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Arizona investigators couldn't figure out who Jane Doe was, and California authorities had no idea who the babies were.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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That's why federal investigators called on Skull.—
Keith Sharon,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleuths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuths. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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